Scutching-machine.



J. HUBLER.

SCUTCHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. n. 1916.

Patented Oct. 10,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

g m mgoz J. HUBLER. SCUTCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR 11. I916. V 1,200,61'5 Patented Oct. 10,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CB MUMSZOJ:

l. HUBLER.

SCUTCHING MACHINE. APPLICATION 511120 APR. 11, 1916.1

Patented 001. 10,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3 l. HUBLER. SCUTCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. ll. 19I6.

1,200,615. Patented 0tt.10,191ts.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4- I. HUBLER.

SCUTCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. II. 1916.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

i To all whom it may concern UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Application filed April 11.

Be it known that 1, JOHN HUBLER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Brandon, in the county of Fond du Lac and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scutching- Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple, effective and durable scutchlng machine for treating hemp or analogous fiber.

The construction and arrangement of'the machine is such that the .hemp stalks are taken from the breaking machine and fed between companion sets of traveling conveyers, constltuting jaws, under compression. The jaws grip the stalks of the fiber at an intermediate point transversely of their length and cause their free ends to travel over skeleton concave aprons. The said free ends are, during their travel, operated upon by oppositely rotative scutching elements having teeth and heaters thereon, which travel in approximate alinement with the aprons and in a transverse direction with relation to the travel of the conveyer jaws, whereby the fibers are thoroughly beaten and combed as they travel from end to end of the conveyer jaws, resulting in a separation of the hurds, which will fall through the skeleton aprons and collection of the short fibers or tow, which tow fibers are discharged by movement of the scutching elements at'the open'sides of the aprons, while the long fibers, after being thoroughly combed, are delivered at the discharge end of the machine from between the jaws which together constitute a throat.

' of the skilled mechanic.

With the above objects in view the inven-' tion consists in certain peculiarities of con struction and combination of parts as hereinafter set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a cross-section of the machine the section beingl indicated by line 1-1 of Fi 2; Fig. 2, a ongitudinal sectional elevation of the specification of Letters Patent.

.=? @F BRANDON, WISCONSIN.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

1918. Serial No. W328.

same, the section being indicated by line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a'transverse sectional view through the feed end of the machine showing the various gear connections, the section being indicated by line 3-3 of Fig. 4, there being certain parts broken away to avoid confusion; Fig. 4, a longitudinal sectional elevation through one of the scutching elements or drums, the section being indicated by line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed sectional elevation through a portion of the drum showing the structural features of one of the spring teeth, the series of which constitute the combing elements; Fig. 6, a cross-section of the same, the section being indicated by line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of. a fragment of the chains showing the method of articulatingthe chain knuckles or couplings whereby they are nested together closely; Fig. 8, a detailed cross-section of the conveyer chains which constitute the jaws, showing the method of gripping the fiber therebetween, and Fig. 9, an enlarged diagrammatic sectional view through the conveyer jaws showing the hemp stalks fitted in the throat and gripped'for operation, the free portions of the hemp being shown engaged by the heaters and combing elements of the scutching cylinders.

Referring by characters to the drawings, 1 represents a series of longitudinal and transverse ground sills of a frame, and 2 a series of uprights which serve as. supports for a longitudinally disposed track. sill or table 3, the same being in practice approximately three-quarters of an inch or less in width, itbeing desirable to have the width at this point narrow due to the fact that-it is the point at which the stalks are gripped to be worked upon. Mounted to travel upon the upper surface of the track sill or table is the working stretch 4 of an endlessconveyer chain, which chain at the feed end of the machine is trained over a sprocket-wheel 5 and from thence over a drive sprocketwheel 6 and back to the feed end of the machine over an idle sprocket-wheel 7, the sprocket-wheels 5 and 7 being mounted-in suitable bearings that are afiixed to diagonally disposed brace struts of the frame,

which struts are also secured tothe ends of end. of this shaft is in sprocket gear connec tion with a stud shaft 8 that isjournaled in bearings supported upon sillmembers that constitute part (if a bridge frame having main cross-sills 10 and upright sills 11, the said bridge-frame is at the feed end of the machine and also serves to support all driving mechanism and the shafts of scutching elements or drums which will be hereinafter described in detail. I

A longitudinally disposed presser foot frame 12 is positioned in alinement with the track sill 3 and over. the same and it embodies a pair of cheek-bars 13 and a pair of spaced upper strut bars 14, which bars are connected by tie strips 15. The presser-foot frame is held in its suspended position at its rear end by upwardly inclined angle iron bars 12 which rise from the sill frame, and at its front end it is supported by the main cross-sill 10, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the said cross-sill being fitted atvtheintersecting point of the strut bars 14 and the tie-strips 15.

Thelower or Working stretch 16 of an endless chain constitutes the companion member of the conveyer jaw 4 and the knuckles of the links of this chain stretch break joints with the knuckles of the lower chain stretch 4, asbest shown in Figs. 2 and 7 of the drawings. The upper endless chain just described is trained at its feed end over a lower sprocket-wheel 17 and an upper sprocket-wheel 18 and the rear end of the chain is trained over a large sheave 18'. The sheave 17 is mounted-upon a block 17 which is carried by the'presser-foot frame and is adapted to be adjusted slightly for belt tightening purposes. The sprocketwheel 18 is journaledin boxes aflixed to'the strut bars 14, while the sheave 18 is journaled in bearings secured to the ends of the cheek-bars 13 of said presserf0ot/frame.

Mounted between the cheek-bars 13 are a series of vertically slidable shoes 19, which shoes are guided by bolts19' that extend through the cheek-bars and slots 20 with which the shoes are provided. The forward or toe ends of the sole of the shoes which.

-- g mg each of the shoe pins 21, which coiled springs are interposed between the lower face of the tension bar and the upper faces of the shoes, whereby the same are held in yieldablekengagernent with the chain stretch 16 previously mentioned. The tension of the series of shoes is simultaneously adjust- -ed by hanger bolts 23 which are secured to the tension bar and extend through cross- .bars 14' that connect the strut bars 14. The

hanger. bolts are provided with upper and lower nuts 1n threaded engagement therewith, whereby the tension bar can be raised or lowered to regulate the tension of the shoes.

As best shown in Fig. 1 and the enlarged diagram view Fig. 9, the articulated chain stretches 4 and 16, which constitute traveling conveyel jaws, are guided transversely by metallic valance strips 24 that are secured to the .track sill 3 and project above its upper surface and a corresponding pair of valance strips 25 that are fastened to the lower shouldered portions of each shoe 19 and have projecting edges which form a biting contact-withthe upper edges of the lower valance strips when the machine is not in operation. It is understood, however, that the chain stretches 4 and 16 together form a throat for the stalks of the hemp which are fed therebetween in a thin layer and when so fed the upper chain stretch 16 will yield slightly to compensate for the thickness of the material, while the bite is insured by the spring-pressed shoes 19 which oppose expansion of the throat. In practice the sprocket 17 is adjusted upwardly so as to widen the throat at the point of feed slightly, whereby the material is readily grasped between the chains in their travel to the toe of the first shoe, which, due to its spring pressure, will then tend to contract the throat in opposition to the thickness of the material passing therethrough.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings the track sill 3, in effect. forms the backbone of a pair of convex skeleton aprons A, which aprons comprise a series of longitudinal spaced slats 26 that are supported at intervals upon transversely disposed circular bandsections 27, the inner ends of which are secured to the sill 3 and the outer portions thereof are fitted to trans- .versely disposed beams 1 that form part of the bed sill frame 1. The aprons are unobstructed at their lower sides, as shown,

whereby material may be discharged therefrom upon the ground, which material in hemp combing is commonly known as tow.

The bridge-frame is provided with pairs of bearing sills 28, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, which sills are inclined outwardly and upwardly from the central portion of the machine preferably at an angle of 45 and are supported by suitable tie-bars. The bearing sills have mounted thereon metallic ways 29 for com panion pairs of boxes 30 each of which pairs are slidable upon the ways, being adjusted by threaded spindles 31 that are in link belt connection, as shown. Each pair of alined boxes serve as supports for drum shafts 32, which overhang the concave-con vexed aprons and are unsupported at their opposite ends. Motion in opposite directions is imparted to the pair of drum shafts from 33 and a main drive shaft 33. This shaft carries a sprocket-wheel 34 that is in chain belt connection with a corresponding sprocketwheel 34' that is mounted upon one of the drum shafts and the opposite drum shaft has a s rocket-wheel 35', as indicated in dotted lines Fig. 3, which sprocket-wheel is in link belt connection with a corresponding sprocket-wheel 35' that is fixed on a countershaft 36. The said counter-shaft 36 is in beveled gear connection with a transverse shaft 37 which shaft is also in beveled gear connection with the main drive shaft said main drive shaft is likewise in beveled gear connection with the shaft 8 and a stud-shaft 18', upon which is mounted the sprocket-pinion 18, the same being the driving pinion of the upper endless chain that .has its working stretch 16 arranged to form one of the traveling conveyer jaws.

For the purpose of regulating the tension of the chain belts which impart motion to the drum shafts 32, each of the same is provided with a belt tightener 38 of ordinary construction, one of the same being shown in full in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Each drum shaft has mounted thereon spider arms 39 that support a shell-like metallic drum 40, each of the same being nested within a concavo-convexed apron A, as shown in Fig. 1. These drums constitute scutching elements ofthe machine and are provided with a series of beater blades 41 having flexible wiper strips 41 that project from their ends, which wiper strips are preferably composed of rubber or other yieldable substance and are adapted to engage the free ends of the fiber, whereby a proper'beating action is-imparted thereto coincident to rotation of the drums. In this exemplification of my invention I have shown the beater blades as being rigidly attached to the surface of the drum, but, in some instances, I may employ beater blades that are arranged in spring hinge connection with the drum surfaces whereby they will yield backwardly coincident to engagement with the product worked upon.

Alternating the series of beater blades the surface of the drum has projecting therefrom a series of teeth 42 which are preferably of the spring tang variety with their outer ends bent backwardly with .re-

.lation to the direction of travel of the drums, their travel being indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1.

As best shown' in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, the series of spring teeth 42 at their inner ends are coiled about pipe sections 43 with their short ends secured by bolts 44, the same being fitted in either pair of a set of openings in the pipes to individually regulate the tension upon the working ends of the teeth. In order to provide a universal adjustment-as to tension of the teeth of each series and to support the pipe sections '43, the drum has secured thereto reinforcing rings '45 and also companion sets of bearing blocks 46 for the pipe sections and the said pipe see 79 tions are held against rotation in their bearing blocks by plug pins 46 which pass through apertures in the pipe sections and bearing blocks, whereby the said pipe sections are locked. By twisting the pipe sections a quarter turn in the proper direction the tension on the teeth will be increased and after this winding operation theplugs 14 are' reinserted inposition to prevent twisting of the pipe. As shown in Fig. 6, the tension upon the teeth is maintained by said teeth engaging the ends of slots 47 with which the shell of the drum is provided and back movement of the teeth is permitted due to the length of the slot. Thus the teeth are permitted a certain yield backward coincident to a combing opera tion. It is manifest, however, that the specific arrangement of the teeth and the means of tensionin the same is immaterial so far .as the functloning of the machine is concerned.

As indicated bythe dotted line a in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the position of the axis of each drum is shown relative to the upward inclination of the conveyer jaws of chain stretches 4 and 16, the said axis being upon a horizontal plane and at the feed end of the machine the axis of each drum is upon a higher plane than the feed throat, while at the discharge end it is upon a lower plane. Thus the teeth of the drum at the feed end are consequently farther away from the concaved apron surface than at the discharge end so that a coarser scutching or combing operation is efiected initially at said feed end and a correspondingly finer combing operation is produced at the discharge end due to the fact that the beating blades and ends of the teeth at said feed end are close to the concave apron surface.

It will also be observed that the scutching elements or drums can be adjusted toward or away from the aprons to accommodate varying conditions and quantity of the material to be operated upon.

Referring especially to the diagram view, Fig. 8, in the operation of the machine, the hemp stalks from the break are inserted at the feed end between the chain stretches 4 and 16 approximately at a central point of the length of the material and stretches revolve at the same 5 eed they bite the thin layer of fiber tight y due to the spring tension of the shoes which rise slightly to accommodate or expand the throat between said chain stretches, whereby the material is fed from the feed end slowly toward the discharge end of the machine. The free end, draping upon the concaveconvexed surface of the skeleton aprons, in its travel is subjected to a beating and combing operation in a direction transverse to the travel of the material or in alinement with the strands thereof. Thus the material is combed and beaten continuously throughout its travel, whereby all hurds are extracted. The hurds fall through the slats of the aprons and the tow, which is separated from the long fiber, is discharged to the sides of the aprpns, while the long fiber is straightened out" and combed in a thorough manner before it reaches the point of final-discharge at the rear end of the machine. It will also be noticed that, owing to the constant pull in opposite directions upon the fiber strands, the strain is approximately divided from the central polnt at which they are held, but this pull upon the strands in opposite directions will permit of slight back and forth movement of the hemp through the throat, whereby the point of gripping is also worked upon and combed and ,relieved of both hurds and short strands. Thus it will be seen that, in the operation of the machine, the hurds are first separated and discharged at one point, the tow at another, and the finished line fiber finally discharged at the rear end of the machine, making a complete separation of the by-products.

I claim: L 1. A machine of the character described I comprising a pair of longitudinally travel ing endless conveyer jaws forming a throat therebetween for fiber stalks and adapted to feed the same therethrough, the bite of the jaws being transverse of the stalks, companion skeleton concavo-convexed aprons extending from the conveyer jaws in opposite directions over which the free ends of the stalks travel, and revoluble toothed scutching drums nested within the aprons adapted to comb both ends of the fiber as it travels to the discharge end thereof and means for adjusting the drums relative to the conveyer throat and aprons.

2. A machine of the character described comprising a pair of endless conveyers having opposed working stretches forming a throat therebetween for fiber stalks adapted to be fed therethrough, the bite of the conveyers being transverse of the stalks, means for tensioning the bite of said conveyers, companion sets of skeleton concavo-convexed aprons extending from the working .stretches of the conveyers in opposite directions over which the free ends of the fiber stalks travel, oppositely disposed revoluble drums nested within the aprons, a series of heaters and teeth extending from the surface of the drums in juxtaposition to the aprons .vexed skeleton conveyers. extending from the companion chain stretches in opposite directions, oppositely rotative drums nested within the aprons, and yieldable teeth extending from the surfaces of said drums for engagement with the free ends of the fibrous material coincident to its travel with the conveyer from end to end of the machine.

4. A machine of the character described comprising a pair of endless chains having articulated stretches to constitute gripping jaws formingathroat therebetween for fiber stalks, spring-pressed shoes opposing one of the chain stretches, a rail opposing the opposite chain stretch, concavo-convexed skeleton conveyers extending from the companion chain stretches in opposite directions, oppositely rotative drums nested within the aprons, spring teeth extending from the surfaces of said drums for engagement with the free ends of the fibrous material coincident to its travel with the conveyer from end to end of the machine, and means for adjusting the drums with relation to the juxtaposed surfaces of the aforesaid concavo-convexed aprons.

5. A machine'of the character described comprising a pair of longitudinally traveling endless conveyer chains the working stretches of which are superimposed, a fixed support for one of the stretches, a yieldable pressure means engageable with the other working stretch, concavo-convexed skeleton aprons extending fromthe working stretches of said conveyers, toothed oppositely revolu-,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Ripon, in the county of Fond du Lac and State of Wisconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HUBLER.

Witnesses:

R. O. STUART, O. A. Lo'rmzor. 

